Engrave (Etch) on Clear Acrylic with a Diode Laser
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 เม.ย. 2024
- Today I share with you one method of engraving (etching) clear acrylic using a diode laser with the help of Tempera paint. This method does and OK job on clear acrylic however this same method on glass looks amazing. The trick is to have a smooth paint job.
▬ Contents of this video ▬
0:00 Intro
0:20 Diode Lasers and Acrylics
1:05 Supplied Needed
1:25 My XCS Design
2:01 Prepare Your Acrylic
2:20 Painting Acrylic with Tempera Paint
3:19 Setup Your M1 and Engrave Your Project
6:16 Project Explanation and Tips
7:45 Etched Glass Example
8:22 Finishing Up the Project
9:34 The Final Reveal
▬ Products Shown ▬
Product Shown in this video:
xTool M1 - 10W Deluxe: bit.ly/3P12vyY
Washable Tempera Paint (Black): amzn.to/3V9VLRU
You can also SPRAY a watered-down mixture of tempera paint using a fine sprayer. You may have to water it down a bit more for it to spray but I have seen people use it with great success on acrylic, glass, etc.: amzn.to/3PzpMek
▬ Additional Links for your M1 ▬
My Personal Material Settings: bit.ly/MWW_M1_MaterialSettings
xTool Website: bit.ly/xTool_Website
xTool Materials - bit.ly/xTool_Materials
xTool Creative Space (XCS) Software: support.xtool.com/hc/en-us/ar...
Dust Cover that fits the M1: amzn.to/3OiXulh
Alternate Dust Cover that fits the M1: amzn.to/39OvEP4
Inline fan for long distance DIY smoke extraction: amzn.to/3Ik51yf
My xTool M1 Video Series: bit.ly/My_M1_Journey
▬ Monkey Woodworks ▬
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*** About Monkey Woodworks and More ***
Monkey Woodworks and More is a channel about reviews and how-to's. The products and ideas here are mostly centered around Monkey Woodworks along with some gadgets and home use products as well. We are a home-based husband and wife team that specialize in yard art, stove covers, porch signs, and home decor for all occasions.
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![Can A Diode Laser Engrave Clear Acrylic?? [YES, but not without this]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m_FwZVADOq4/mqdefault.jpg)
Absolutely love learning from watching your videos. I've learned so much. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos so well. You are awesome!
Glad you like them!
I think that's a great ornament and very lovely with making it completely from scratch. Thank you for the awesome tutorial- I was gifted a diode laser for Christmas and can't wait to nail this technique. 💚🧜♀️💜
Awesome! Lasers are so much fun to work with. Remember to never let it run unattended and happy lasering!
Thank you for all your videos. I am new to laser and have learned so much the last couple of days watching your videos. Easy to understand. Thank you !!!!
You are so welcome! I am glad to hear they were useful to you.
Thank you Mike for the info I learned alot from your videos on fb and TH-cam
Glad to hear the information was helpful!
Thank you! I have tried several other techniques for acrylic engraving. Yours works way better than the others.
Glad to hear it worked for you!
Finally, Thank you ever so much for the Special video. What a Nice way to End the 2022. Thank you once again
You are welcome. Thank you for the kind words.
Another GREAT video. Thanks Michael and Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Thanks so much for that spreadsheet! I was just saying I needed to start a notebook!
You are so welcome!
Just made one like this but by air brushing the layers of black paint instead of brush. Worked sooooo much better. Got a beautiful engraving.
Nice!! I need to find a cheap one to try out.
LOVE IT!
Thank you!
Great video! Thank you 🙏
My pleasure!
Great video sir. Expertly described. Subbed, Bob in the UK
Thank you so much for the support!
Awesome
Glad you found it useful!
Great video. I have been working with clear acrylic also. I didn’t think of putting multiple layers of the tempera pain and thinning the paint. I will have to try your method.
Let me know how it works out! It is all about keeping the paint smooth and free of bubbles. What method do you use for your clear acrylic?
@@MonkeyWoodworks i did a single coat of the tempera black paint, and painted both sides of the clear acrylic. I also was using the clear acrylic that is 3 mm thick and cut in the shape of a Christmas ornament. I did cut in 15% power 45 mm/s to give it depth so it was easy to see. Engraving it was so light it was hard to see after washing out the paint. I had realized from your video why the acrylic was burning or popping when I used to much power. I also was using the honey comb. I am also using the xTool M1.
@@MonkeyWoodworks oh, it was the acrylic ornament shapes where I can buy a large number say for example 32 pieces for about $10 on Amazon
Nice! I will have to look into that for next year.
Would love to do my sister's this coming Xmas.
Let me know how it goes if you do!
Thank you for all of your help. Is there a reason why it wouldn't be helpful to increase the power and speedso it gets done faster? Just thinking of making multiples... Thanks again for the material list.
It's all about balance. It's possible as long as you find the right combination.
🎉
You are welcome :)
Good job on this video - Clear and concise. 3 Questions...
Did you focus on the top or bottom of the acrylic?
What type of acrylic & thickness?
Thank you!
Top - I manually entered the information. You can also put a sheet of paper on top of the material to help with automatic focus.
I used xTool's 3mm clear acrylic for this project.
Very nice.... 😍
Thank you!
hi can I just check does the painted surface go on top or the bottom thanks your videos are very good thank you for sharing your knowledge
It can go on either side i believe.
Michael, I absolutely love all of your videos on the M1. I'm new to lasering and have now run into a problem attempting to cut acrylic. I used the recommended settings based on XTools material list (opaque green, shiny, 3mm) According to the recommended settings Power=100, Speed=3 and Passes=3. When I use this configuration it doesn't cut and barely scratches the surface. Any recommendations? Thanks!! 🤞
Hmm. I honestly didn't have much luck cutting anything other than black. I was able to CT other colors however I never liked the edges. I suggest you join the Official xTool Facebook group dedicated to your machine and use the search tool. Lots of posts and settings shared by others there.
Thanks @MonkeyWoodworks for the video and the great ideas. I was just about to throw away the idea of getting a diode laser for my Genmitsu 4040 because I want to engrave text on white acyrlic and everyone said it can't be done!! But looking at what you have done, proves that is not the case. Now, the Tempura paint allows it to be easily removed post lasering. But can you confirm or at least offer a possibility that if you don't want the paint to be removed post laser, then aerosol spray can paint would work? What I am doing is building a flight simulator and I need to create the grey panels and etch the white text on them. Many of the other cockpit builders out there are using the CO2 laser but it's just a bit rich for my blood so I was looking for a more economic solution. So I was wondering, if I should adopt your technique but modified to use a medium grey matt (aircraft panel colour) spray paint and then laser etch on top of that? The paint doesn't have to be removed afterward , in fact it would be rather super if it never came off at all!! If you think this is a possibility, then I might reconsider getting a diode laser module. Thanks in advance👍👍 Terry, Auckland, New Zealand
I am not 100% sure if that will work or not. The diode is using the tempera paint to etch the acrylic. It is hitting the paint and melting just the top layer of the acrylic to achieve the look you see in the video. I will see if I can try what you are asking on a test piece to see what happens and find out how it looks at the etch location and around it.
@@MonkeyWoodworks Thank you Michael that is most helpful of you. As you say, there may be a difference between the actual paint properties that makes the tempura paint more suitable to this process beyond the fact that it is also easily removable. Perhaps the thickness of the tempura is the also a key to this process since aerosol paint is rather thin. Anyway, I look forward to hearing what you discover whenever you are next in the shed with some idle time to try this. Fingers crossed. Thanks again Michael.👍
Cheers, Terry
Just a note, the acrylic paint works well at a 50/50 mix with a cheap air gun
Good to know! I need to try that out once I get an air gun. We have plenty of acrylic paint around the house.
Used to a co2 Lazer doing Boyd's gun stocks feels limited
The size of the M1 is a bit limiting. You can also place the M1 on top of an object to engrave/score thanks to how far down the laser head can go.
Where do you buy the sheets of acrylic? Thanks
I purchased these directly from xTool. I have a link to their materials page in the description of this video.
Could this method work with other colors like yellow or orange? I know the diode has issues with blues also.
Yes, I believe this will work with them. The outcome is OK but not as good as it looks on glass imo.
What about to cut thr colors? Would the paint allow the cut? Like for earrings
@nikkitts628 no, the paint does not help cutting. However check out the Official xTool Facebook group. There are a few people that have been experimenting with various colors and have shared their results in the group.
During framing the laser outlines the green lines on the project so make sure they are inside the boarder of what you are going to laser.
Yes, I have done that method a few different ways. On the edge of the object or just inside the edge of the object. Framing the object itself is definitely the best way to make sure your centered on what you will be engraving. I just wish the framing feature could frame like light burn where it will follow a circle/oval/misc shape.
Yeah it just gives you a basic frame to show the position, nothing detailed or precise.
Hi would you use the same settings on the Ortur LM3
I believe so since they are basically the same 10watt diode lasers. I would test it on a test piece first.
How do I connect to your settings please
View the description of any of my videos and look for the Material Settings link
Please explain how to make tempera stick to acrylic - especially after watering it down.
Soft brush + a light touch + multiple layers.
@@MonkeyWoodworks but how does it stick? It has no adhesion
@@arcxjo I find that it is a pain in the neck on the first 2 to 3 coats. Especially on the edges. Make sure you water down the paint, use a soft bristle brush, brush in one direction only, and do not push down on the brush, use the weight of it instead. You can change directions of the brush stroke between coats but not on a wet coat, it seems to pull it up more that way. This part of the video explains exactly how i paint it.
th-cam.com/video/hbL4HE1u7sI/w-d-xo.html
You can also SPRAY a watered-down mixture of tempera paint using a fine sprayer. You may have to water it down a bit more for it to spray but i have seen people use it with great success on acrylic, glass, etc.
amzn.to/3PzpMek
@@MonkeyWoodworks are you pretreating the acrylic with something? Temperature DOES NOT STICK TO ACRYLIC, and even less so if I intentionally water it down
@@arcxjo I am not. It is clean acrylic with no treatment.
Would clear acrylic work with the use adhesive vinyl instead of paint?
I am not sure. I think lasering vinyl is dangerous due to the fumes unless it is laser-able vinyl.
Hi Michael, can you use the black tempera paint on the clear acrylic and be able to cut it?
I have not tried that yet. I am thinking once it makes it past the layer of paint, it will just pass right through and not cut it. Although, it would be interesting to try!
@@MonkeyWoodworks i thought if it works on glass or even painting both side of the acrylic…on glass I use black chalk paint much thicker one coat.
Do try any other coating such as dry moly on the clear acrylic?
I have not. xTools marking paper, and tempera paint are the only ones I have tried so far.
dry moly did not work. i tried
Does the paint have to be watered down? Can you put the full thickness of the paint
Thinning it down and using thin coats ensures a nice even layer, so your engraving will be even
Did I miss why you put aluminum underneath?
The aluminum layer simply protects your base plate and keeps it clean. Doing so allows the cutting mat to stick to the base plate when you are using the blade. If you use foil, I suggest you put the shiny side down to reduce reflection and a few pieces of painters tape to keep it from ligting up due to the exhaust fan.
Every time I try to use this same tempra paint, it just beads up on the acrylic and does not stay where I try to paint it. What am I doing wrong?
I find that it is a pain in the neck on the first 2 to 3 coats. Especially on the edges. Make sure you water down the paint, use a soft bristle brush, brush in one direction only, and do not push down on the brush, use the weight of it instead. You can change directions of the brush stroke between coats but not on a wet coat, it seems to pull it up more that way.
I had no idea you could turn off the output for design elements. I’ve been putting them on a separate canvas 😅
It's really handy. It came out about 2-3 versions ago I believe.
Another question will this work for dithering.
I am not sure. I have never tried.
Dumb question. Is the painted side up or down when engraving?
Paint side up. No question is a dumb question. We are all learning here.
I wonder if acrylic spray paint would work, it’s highly pigmented, and dries quick.
I am not sure. I am guessing if it can be taken off without scratching the acrylic, it is worth a shot!
@@MonkeyWoodworks maybe black vinyl to peel off?
Maybe but I dont think you can engrave on top of it. Might just make a melty mess?
@@eclecticlight.design just FYI vinyl is listed as a no on the xtool, you shouldn't cut pvc materials it can ruin your laser. Cheers!
Did you order your acrylic from xtool?
Yes. The clear i got from xTool. I have ordered black from amazon with good luck (see my other video). Red from amazon was not so great. Red from xtool was much better.
Can i do this settings with a 20 watt diode laser?
I suspect it will be too hot. I would test it out. May have to speed it up, lower power, or a combination of the two
whats the benefit of the paint? it kinda looks the same to me if you didn't use any paint. the glass def looks better with the paint but not sure if this works as well for acrylic
A diode laser (like the M1) can not mark on clear items (glass, acrylic, etc). The laser just shoots through it like a flashlight. Adding the paint gives the laser something to "hit" and allows it to mark the top of the material.
@@MonkeyWoodworks would this also be effective with a C02 laser?
No. There is no need for the coating on a C02 laser. That type of laser is a different wavelength allowing it to etch directly on clear glass or acrylic and can cut clear acrylic like butter.
Newbie question lol - does anyone know if you can use painters tape on acrylic to engrave it? Thanks :)
I have not tried that method personally. If I do, I will be sure to come back and let you know how it went!
@@MonkeyWoodworks thank you - I don't want to start a fire in my M1, so I am hopeful someone else will try it first. Have a great day and thank you for your really helpful content.
Hello, do you think it's possible to engrave / etch polycarbonate for a led lit sign with a 5watt diode laser ?
I am not sure. I see on another site that it is a poor material to laser cut due to the material.
Can you airbrush it on?
You can definitely airbrush it on as long as it is watered down enough. I bet it would be smoother than mine.
There are two Michaels!
haha! This town ain't big enough for the two of us....or is it?
I am sure that there are days that you wish there were two Michaels!!
I can do this with smoke from a candle at a fraction of the cost, are you being sponsored by Tempura?
Does this method allow the laser to etch clear acrylic?
why the use of aluminum paper? 🙌
That is used to protect the black base plate from getting lasered to keep it clean. When you use the blade feature of the M1, you stick the cutting mat directly to the base plate then your material on top of that cutting mat. Keeping the base plate clean when lasering will allow the cutting mat to stick better to the base plate. If you do use aluminum, make sure you insert it with the dull side facing up. Also, check out my M1 material settings google sheet where it has a picture describing the use of the aluminum sheet as well.
What I just found out that works a dry erase marker.
I think i read that somewhere. Have you tried it?
@@MonkeyWoodworks yep I tested it on a few pieces works well and got some good results. Plus afterwards you can wiped off with very little mess.
Awesome to hear!
Yes, you're right, if people are getting money OR work to promote a laser company, then he may not be a creative person. Are you the sales person or your double?
I am just a dude making videos of a hobby I enjoy and enjoy helping others learn along with me. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment.